Printing plate cylinder



Nov. 23, 1937. H A w. WOOD PRINTING PLATE CYLINDER Original Filed May 5,1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l SHQ@ @LNI

ni III il sii' NOV. 23, H. A W. WOOD PRINTING PLATE CYLINDER originalFiled May s, 1931 s sheets-sheet 2 Nov. 23, 1937. H. A. w. wool:v2,100,207

PRINTING PLATE CYLINDER Original Filed May 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 :unwilli' ge/117,4. MT1-em] am J Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT OFFICE`2,100,207 PRINTING PLATE CYLINDER Henry A. Wise Wood, New York, N. Y.,assgnor to'Wood Newspaper Machinery Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of Virginia Y Original application May 5, 1931, Serial No.

' 535,165. Divided and this application June 29, 1932, Serial No.619,887. Renewed May 4, 1937 6 Claims.

'I'his is a division of my prior application Serial No. 535,165,led May5, 1931. 'l' 'This invention relates chieyto the printing of newspapers,or the like, inwhich the product is f5 produced in a plurality ofcolors, but is capable of general use.

It will be obvious that where a number of cylinders are used, eachhaving plates of a diiferent color from the plates on the othercylinders I and these are all used to form imprints on the same page,the printing plates on the diiferent lcylinders must register properlywith each other. Heretofore it has been necessary, after the plates'have .been 1 put on the press cylinder, to shift f5 the plates about toobtain the proper register of ethe, final product. VThis is a tediousand time- .takingytask and-involves the printing of many proofs to seelthat the plates are finally in'proper register. Y Y Q0 VMy abovementioned 'application relates to a 'method and apparatus by which theplates are `pre-'registered and proved in a very simple manner and theneasily and accurately placed on the fprinting cylinders in a position inwhich 525 they 'will all register properly with each other, Vtl'iuseliminating the necessity of shifting the plates 'after they are put onthe printing cylinders and while the whole press is idle. fThe principalobjects of this invention are to :30 provide for the registering ofprinting plates by 4providing the plate cylinders of the printing press'with fixed locating means for the plates, such as pins projecting`therefrom to register the plates Which have previously been proved onanother ..35 machine by comparing their imprints with those of akey-plate which is placed on a cylinder and kept there in thesame'position, and-to provide :means for operating the plate clamps onthe printing' plate cylinder in proper relation to the 40.- locatingpins thereon and having means by which theycan be quickly clamped andreleased. f Otherrobjects and advantages of the invention ,will appearhereinafter. f Y

Reference is tc-be had to the accompanying ,145 drawings, in which- Fig.liis a radial sectional view of the printing plate cylinder of theprinting press on which the p'roved plates are to be used, showing themanner cffclampingY the plates thereon; 1 50: .Fig.2is aplan view, asindicated by the arrow `-2inFig. 1;-

Fig. 3 is a plan of a printing press cylinder .ishown` in modified form,illustrating a way in -iwhichthe clamps are employed when the center .55clip is staggered for a purpose to be described;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; f

Fig. 5 is an end view of the printing plate cylinder as indicated by thearrow 5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view taken in the direction of the 5 arrow 6 in Fig. 1,showing the center clip;

Fig. 7 is a side View of one of the plate locking cams used in this formof the device, and

Fig. 8 is a view of the printing plate itself with the notches thereinfor locating it on the 10 printing plate cylinder.

This invention is particularly applicable to newspaper color printingand is extremely useful where more than one set of color plates is used.The principal registering means may be applied I to color plates thatare manufactured by the electrotype process but it is designedparticularly, and is especially advantageous, for stereotype plates, aseach similar plate carries its characters in vdeinite relationship tothe bevels on the 420 sides of the plate and the'margins on the ends ofthe plate. This is due to the fact that once the stereotype matrix isset in the casting-box, its relationship does not change from one plateto another.

According to this invention, the plates are preregistered by placing akey-plate, say a black plate, in a registering machine, which is thesubject of part of said application, and setting it into approximatelythe desired position. On this machine is an impression cylinder and amarking or notching cylinder besides the provingcylinder. The provingand marking cylinders are adapted to be inked and they are adapted alsoto be moved into contact with the impression cylinder which has aIblanket as usual. The

proving and marking cylinders are of the same `size as the printingplate cylinder of the printing machine on which these plates are to beused for printing and thev impression cylinder is of twice thatdiameter.

The plates that are to be proved and registered, whether they are to beinkedY with black or other colored ink, are successively placed on thismarking cylinder Where impressions are made from them and impressionsmade from the key-plate on the same sheet so that these impressions canbe checked with respect to each other. Then the plate to be proved isadjusted on the marking cylinder until its imprint registers with theblack of the key-plate on the proving cylinder.A When they have beenadjusted so that the registration is perfect, they are marked or notchedon this marking cylinder.

In the preferred construction, notchesV are made on these plates intheir curved edges and registering pins are Xed on the press cylinder ina position so that each one of these plates that has been notched can beplaced on the press cylinder with the pins in the notches. Then allthese plates of Va series will be in exact registration with each otherin the printing machine. Therefore their imprints on the web by theprinting machine will be in registration and holding mechanism used onthe two plates on `10 there will be no overlapping of the colors and noblank spots unless such are provided for in the design. This eliminatesthe juggling of the plates on the printing press cylinders and transfersthat part of the usualy operation to this registering machine Where itis done at convenient times and does not delay .the locating of theplates on the printing machine.

It Will be seen therefore'that if it is desired to register a red plate,a trial sheet will be passedYYY the proving Ycylinder under the blackplate on l and then under the plate-to be registered on the markingcylinder. The operator observes the result to'see what must be done tomake the red register with the black, which of course is xed.Adjustments are made for moving the red plate circumferentially orlongitudinally until the proper register is obtained. Several proofs maybe made before the red plate is in the proper registering position. Itis at this time that the red plate is notched and removed.

The plates one after another are taken off the marking or notchingcylinder with the desired colored ink upon them ready to be transferred`to Vthe printing press. It will be seen that these plates can be in theprocess of being prepared,

. "while the printing press is running, and no time has to be taken outforfthe registering of the plates and only very little for placing themon the printing plate cylinders. The plates may be securedon theprinting plate cylinders, o n which they are vto be used, with theirnotches I9 in registration With pins 2i) and 2l thereon. Of course, itwill-'be obvious that the plates may be clamped on the printing platecylinders in any desired way and, in fact, in some of the Ways that arein common use. However, I have shown'in Figs. ll and 2 one Way in Whichthe plates may be clamped, it being understood, that they are registeredalmost instantaneously by the notches and pins. Y

In these figures a Vplate cylinder 54 is shown carrying an end piece 55secured to it.Y In the end piece is mounted a short shaft 56 having asquare 51 on the kend foroperating it and having a cam 58 pinned lto iton the inner end. Cooperating With the cam 58 is a cam 59 pinned to arod 60. This rod 6D passes into a chamber under the plate to be put onthe cylinder and to its end is pivotally attached a pivoted arm 6|. Theturning ofthe shaft 55 movesthe rod 60 tothe right in these gures andtherefore swings this arm BI. To this arm is in turn secured a shortshaft 62. This shaft also is pivotally mounted in a stationary holder 63secured to the cylinder. The shaft G2 has secured toit a gear 64 meshingwith rack teeth 65 and 66 on tWo loperating rods 61 and 68.

extend in opposite directions from the shaft 62 These operating rods andtheir racks Vare arranged to engageV opposite sides of the gear 64. Theyare pivotally attached to a pair of oscillating clamp levers 69 and 1lirespectively. These clamp leversY are held under spring pressureagainstthe opposite bevel edges of the plate Pthrough a p air ofoperating springs 1I and 12 and collars 13'on the rods 61 and 68.- Anadditional extension arm 14 is pivot-i ally attached to one end of thearm 6l and the other end is pivotally attached to a clamp lever 15. Theclamp lever 15 is held under spring pressure against the beveled edge ofan inside plate P by a mechanism similar to that described above. l Y

It will be seen vthat the motion of the rod 60 to the right operates torelease all of the platethat vendvorf `the press plate cylinder. Ofcourse, the inner side of the plate P is held by a center clip 16 andspring 11 and all this mechanism is Arepeated'onthe other end of thecylinder.

In this Way it will be seen that the inside plate 15 may be angledunderneath the center clip 16 kand Vpressed. over so that it drops downover the registering pins 2l and is thereby placed on the press in aneasy manner which insures contact of the center clip and also insures aperfect 20 registration of the plate.

It will be understood, of course, that as many of these mechanisms maybeemployed With aset of plate clamps for each Aone as may be v.founddesirable. In Fig. 4 is shown an end clamp 8l) 25 and center clip 8lcarried by T-slots of the usual construction in the cylinder. Both areheld by the pressure of springs 82 Yagainst thebeveled edges of theplate. Fixed onthe operating rod 83 are cams 84 arranged oppositely.When this :'30 rod is rotated these cams cooperate WithY cam surfacesvon the end clamp and the center vclip 8| and force these clips back inopposition to the pressure of their springs Vuntllthey release 'theplate. v .35 In Fig. 5 the rod 83 is shown as provided with a-gear85 andit is also provided with asquare on its end. When this square is turnedby a wrench, the gear operates two gears 86 rotatably mounted on studs81 on the end of the cylinder. 'I'hese 40 gears in Aturn cooperate withpinionsV 88 to rotate two other operating rods 89in all respectssimilarvto the operating rod 83.Y In Fig. 3 the three rods yare shown and vthecenter clips 8l are arranged in staggered rela- 4V45 tionship in orderto provide sufficient room for moving each center clip withoutproviding' excessive room between the clips.

The center clips 8l are'Y shown vas pressing lagainst the inside platewhile the two outer ones 5 0 press against the inside bevel of theoutside plate. In the middle arrangement the operating cam is placed insuch a Way that the clip is forced to the left when theplates areunlocked.

Each one of these cams 84, as shown in Fig. 7, 5 5 is provided withAa'.y srnallfilatl space 90 atztop of the cam path so that when the clipsare 'fully open the wrench may be taken off the squareend of the centralrod 83 and, on account of this flat space, there is no danger of theclips slipping into .60

closed position on account of their springs.

A circular slot 9i is provided in one of the intermediate gears 86 tocooperate Withapin '92 'xed in the'cylinderto limit' the `motion of thewhole gear train. This prevents the operate5 ing mechanism from beingrotated past the'proper stopping position. .y

'Ihe illustrations herein presented show the locking of only half aplatebut the additional 'mechanism for locking the full plate with asinglel 70 Wrench could be provided in accordance with this invention.

' It will be seen that the machine illustrated in 'the originalapplication 'provides means for Vreg'- isteringthe plates .and provingthem so thatqgg when the plates are to be put on the printing platecylinder of the press, the press has to be stopped only a very shorttime and the entire registering is accomplished outside the printingmachine. Plates pre-registered and proved on the machine mentioned arealmost instantaneously set on their printing plate cylinders absolutelyin registering position.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the inventionI am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by anyperson skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to belimited in this respect otherwise than as set forth in the claims butwhat I claim iszl. The combination with a printing plate cyllinder, ofoscillatable clamps for the printing plates, a rod carried by thecylinder, a shaft, said rod and shaft having cooperating cam surfaces ontheir adjacent ends, whereby the turning of the shaft will move the rodlongitudinally, and means connected to said rod for swinging saidVclamps into and out of clamping position according to the direction inwhich the rod is moved.

2. 'I'he combination with a printing plate cylinder, of oscillatableclamps for the printing plates, a rod carried by the cylinder, a shaftin axial alignment with the rod, said rod and shaft having cooperatingcam surfaces on their adjacent ends, whereby the turning of the shaftwill move the rod longitudinally, means connected to said rod forswinging said clamps into and out of clamping position according Vto thedirection in which the rod is moved, and a series of springs carried bythe cylinder for moving the clamps into clamping position and forresisting the moving of the clamps into open position.

3. In a printing plate cylinder, the combination of a pair of pivotedclamps for holding the opposite edges of a printing plate, a shaftcarried by the plate, a rod, cam surfaces on the plate and rodcooperating to move the rod longitudinally when the shaft is turned, anarm pivoted to said rod, a gear carried on a fixed axis and fixed to thearm, and a pair of rods each having a rack meshing with the said gear,each rod being connected with one of said clamps for operating it andsprings on said rodsv for normally forcing said clamps into clampingposition.

4. In a printing plate cylinder, the combination of a pair of pivotedclamps for holding the opposite edges of a printing plate, a shaftcarried by the plate, a rod in alignment with the shaft, cam surfaces onthe plate and rod cooperating to move the rod longitudinally when theshaft is turned, an arm pivoted to said rod, a gear carried on a fixedaxis and xed to the arm whereby the longitudinal motion of the rod willturn the gear, a pair of rods each having a rack meshing with the saidgear located on opposite sides of the gear and extending in oppositedirections therefrom, each rod being connected with one of said clampsfor operating it and springs on said rods for normally forcing saidclamps into clamping position, a pivoted clamp for clamping the nextplate on the cylinder, and means connected with one of said rods foroperating the pivoted clamp.

5. The combination with a printing plate cylinder, of a series of plateclamps therefor for the outside plate, center clips connected therewithfor an inside plate, means for operating the center clips with theclamps, said center clips being arranged alternately in staggeredrelationship for the purpose of providing suiicient room for moving themwithout leaving any excess space between the plates.

6. 'Ihe combination with a printing plate cylinder, of oscillatableclamps at opposite sides of a printing plate on the cylinder, and meansfor simultaneously swinging said clamps toward each other to clamp theopposite edges of the plate.

HENRY A. WISE WOOD.

